It seems everyone is developing a custom signature perfume these days, from the well-established White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor to baseball star Derek Jeter’s Driven. In fact, according to Forbes.com, the top 10 best-selling celebrity perfumes sold $215 million in the United States in 2010. If you want to get in on the action and market your own signature perfume line, you will have to market you product aggressively. Develop a detailed plan that incorporates traditional print advertising and innovative electronic marketing ideas.

1. Conduct some marketing research to discover the kind of perfume that will have a good chance of selling. If you decide to blend a high-end perfume, make sure your perfume name, logo, packaging design and marketing materials reflect the qualities attractive to a high-end market. This means that you want to use a perfume bottle with a distinctive shape, and you can direct your graphic designer to use a calligraphic-style font for the label and packaging.

2. Define your target market and offer your signature perfume to boutiques and shops that cater to those customers. Develop a list of these sales channels and set up face-to-face meetings with the proprietors to come to an agreement about selling your perfume at their location.

3. Position your perfume in the marketplace by figuring out what makes it better than the competition. Your perfume may last longer, be more pleasing to an upscale market, provide better value or be more widely available.

4. Communicate this brand message in print advertising and through electronic media. Use print media including magazines that attract your target audience, and create a buzz by talking it up on social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter.

5. Stage events and promotions like giving away small samples and Buy One, Get One for a limited time. Use direct mail to announce your promotions.

Tip

Use a professional graphic designer to create a distinctive label and package for your perfume. Once you have developed your signature fragrance, consider adding perfumed oils, scented soap, candles and bath salts to your line of products. Chain stores may be willing to take on local products for a limited time, but they may want to see some sales success first.

Warning

Remember to keep track of your marketing strategies to evaluate which ones are effective. Keep the strategies that work and eliminate the ones that don’t.

About the Author

Sharon Penn is a writer based in South Florida. A professional writer since 1981, she has created numerous materials for a Princeton advertising agency. Her articles have appeared in "Golf Journal" and on industry blogs. Penn has traveled extensively, is an avid golfer and is eager to share her interests with her readers. She holds a Master of Science in Education.